Packers chat with Ryan Wood

Monday, Oct. 16 transcript

Hey folks, Ryan Wood here. I'm sure you've got a lot of questions about Aaron Rodgers' right collarbone, and what it means for the Packers season. Let's get to them.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:03:12 PM

Isn't the best thing to do now is to unload bad contracts like Cobb and save the cap space? Just cut them and be done. 4-12 should get a top 5 pick. The OL is a mess, the secondary is worse and Hundley is a pick machine.

by KC Badger10/16/2017 6:04:34 PM

As they sit now, the Packers are 4-2 and tied atop the NFC North. So they're going to try to win for now. How unlikely that is, is another things entirely. As for Randall Cobb, the Packers don't view him as a bad contract. They''ll expect to compete in 2018 when Rodgers returns healthy. So they're not going to unload any pieces that could help them win next season.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:05:46 PM

Hi Ryan, thanks for your great work. Don't the packers need to sign a qb for there scout team ? And who do you think would be a candidate? thanks

by lou10/16/2017 6:05:59 PM

It would not surprise me to see the Packers sign a quarterback to their practice squad. Mike McCarthy generally keeps at least three on the roster. No idea who they might be interested in as a third quarterback. Taysom Hill is coming to Green Bay this week, but he remains on the Saints' 53-man roster.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:07:04 PM

hi Ryan, thanks for your time.. now we're all going to see what kind of a team Thompson and McCarthy have put together...I don't see much... the defense is terrible and has been for years... without Rodgers I think this is a bottom 5 team in the league...I fully expect the Packers to lose their last 10 games and finish 4-12...and it won't matter how well or how poorly Hundley plays....after Rodgers show me any above average talent anywhere on this team... you won't find it... Ryan???

by Jeff10/16/2017 6:08:26 PM

There's no question Aaron Rodgers covered up a lot of warts on this roster, and without him those weaknesses will be revealed. But if the Packers fail to make the playoffs this season, it's for no other reason than losing the best player in football. With the possible exception of the Patriots, no team that loses a franchise quarterback remains in contention. Not in this league.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:09:54 PM

Hi Ryan thanks for the chat. Rodgers aside, this team has an injury crisis on it's hands. Unfortunately, this is a recurring theme. Ever year it's hamstring..........jeez. When is someone going to tell MM that his highly analyzed approach to training doesn't work? At the end of the day, this team is not prepared to take the punishment of a game.

by Dap10/16/2017 6:10:27 PM

This is not to say the Packers don't need to make changes -- maybe they do -- but I will continue to mention injuries are not an issue isolated to Green Bay. They are everywhere in the league.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:11:19 PM

Does the pack contact the Saints to acquire QB Hill’ back to compete with Hundley? He clearly look like the better player in preseason.

by DonD10/16/2017 6:11:38 PM

I just don't see what's the point. If Hundley can't win in his third year learning McCarthy's system, there isn't a QB out there who will. That includes Colin Kaepernick,Tony Romo and Taysom Hill. Hundley gives them the best chance to win. What he does with that chance is up to him.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:12:35 PM

Can Rodgers injury be career altering or ending because it is on his throwing side?

by Steve, Warrenton, Va10/16/2017 6:12:45 PM

That is extremely unlikely, according to multiple orthopedic specialists I've spoken with. It sounds like the worst-case scenario is he returns to full health by the start of 2018.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:13:20 PM

Thanks for taking my question. I assure Rogers goes on IR , and Biegel comes back from IR . Then who would be next you would pick to return, or leave the last spot for Rodgers?

by lou10/16/2017 6:13:33 PM

Actually, assuming Aaron Rodgers goes on IR, his spot has already been filled when the Packers promoted Joe Callahan from their practice squad. They would need to make a separate move for Vince Biegel.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:14:12 PM

Which packer spokesperson can we attribute the quote of “could be out“ the rest of the season? Couldn’t you say the same comment in reverse… ‘Aaron could come back before the end of the season?? It just seems a bit irresponsible to say that unless the press was over anxious for a story and focused on COULD!

by DonD10/16/2017 6:14:39 PM

No, the fact the Packers were willing to present the possibility Aaron Rodgers could miss the rest of the season is significant, even if he returns. It sets the timetable at months, not weeks. From their perspective, it also prevents weekly questions on whether Aaron Rodgers could return, something they dealt with all throughout his 2013 absence.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:15:48 PM

The Packers have been particularly hard hit, but the injury epidemic is league-wide. I've been watching quite a few games and they're starting to look a lot like preseason games. Even good match-ups have been poor as another player goes off the field every six or seven plays. Don't you think the league and player's union need to launch a major study into whether training needs to be altered? Just having bigger, stronger, faster players is looking like a disaster.

by Fan Since Lombardi10/16/2017 6:16:17 PM

OBJ. J.J. Watt. David Johnson. Andrew Luck. Killer injuries are all over the league, not just Green Bay. Fans lose perspective on that. No study is needed to understand why. A very logical argument can be made that humans were not meant to play football. The injury rate in this sport is almost 100 percent. With the very rare exception, if you play this game, you will be injured.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:18:19 PM

With Rodgers out, don't you think this is a great opportunity to see what exactly this coaching staff is made of? No more coasting on Rodger's coattails to the playoffs. Do you think we will see situational, creative and innovative play calling adjusted weekly to match the talent they now have on the field or is it going to be more of the same.

by Dontchaknow10/16/2017 6:19:06 PM

I'm not sure you understand the relationship between coaching and quarterback play. A coach tunes his offense to the strengths and weaknesses of his quarterback. Then it's the quarterback's job to execute. Without Aaron Rodgers on the field, no, it won't reveal much about Mike McCarthy. There isn't a coach in the league that can lose Aaron Rodgers and prevent his team from becoming significantly worse. I do think it gives Ted Thompson and the personnel staff a clear view of the warts on their roster. I'm sure those are things they were already aware of, but there probably can be some learning through this process as well. Coaching? No, this won't be a reflection on that.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:20:49 PM

Coach McCarthy was quick to announce the Packers would not be looking outside for additional QB help, but aren't personnel issues the General Manager's job and not McCarthy's???

by Dontchaknow10/16/2017 6:21:03 PM

Yes, Ted Thompson is in charge of personnel decisions, but he certainly listens to Mike McCarthy, especially when it comes to the quarterback position. With that said, I took McCarthy's comments to mean he isn't looking for help to arrive outside the organization. Rather, he's focused on winning with who's already here.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:22:01 PM

Ryan- I always hear what a great coach Joe Whitt is. Maybe he is and I just don't see it. What I see is a defensive secondary who can't tackle, a secondary that gets juked out of its socks all the time by the receivers. In that Dallas game, Das Prescott throws a 35 yard pass that stayed in the air forever and watching Clint Dix he just stood there frozen until catch was made and then one small juke and Dixon was unable to make the tackle. It was just pathetic, but our secondary just can't seem to do anything but chase guys after they make the catch and have made atlas one guy miss. I mean is their just zero accountability in Green Bay for the secondary. I think Julio Jones actually frightens them and they just sit and watch and act like they want no part of him. At what point can we just say we suck back there and we are just ok with it?

by Mad Dog10/16/2017 6:22:45 PM

I suggest you watch more Falcons games if you think it's easy to slow down Julio Jones. Complaining about a secondary not slowing down Julio Jones is like complaining about a defense not slowing down Aaron Rodgers. Jones is that kind of player. With that said, the Packers secondary is depleted. It was without its top two corners yesterday, and probably its most important player on the back end in Morgan Burnett. When you're playing with reserves, that's what you get.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:24:10 PM

The team is built around & for Aaron. Brett Hundley has been looking at all of this for a few years, which is why no other QB makes any sense at all. Brett did well in the competitive Pac-12. He deserves the chance.

by Marc10/16/2017 6:24:42 PM

Couldn't agree more. No idea if Brett Hundley can win or not, but the Packers need to find out before they do anything else at the position. He clearly gives them their best hope.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:25:08 PM

Comment and a question: If they can survive (not necessarily win) next week without any more major injuries, the bye couldn't come at a better time. Any thoughts on which practice squad o-lineman could get called up?

by MattGSO10/16/2017 6:25:30 PM

Not sure if they'll call up any O lineman, really. Kofi Amichia is the only lineman left on their practice squad.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:26:35 PM

"Without Aaron Rodgers on the field, no, it won't reveal much about Mike McCarthy."Wow ! I can't believe you said this. So really, what you're saying is McCarthy can't be measured as a coach without Aaron Rodgers on the field.

by Nay-sayer10/16/2017 6:26:36 PM

No, what I'm saying is no coach will be as successful without a franchise quarterback, so to expect that is delusional, irrational and illogical. It's a quarterback's league, not a coach's league.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:27:34 PM

Ryan - have you researched the time from a throwing shoulder vs non throwing shoulder break has on recovery time? we know 6-8 for non throwing.

by TOM10/16/2017 6:27:44 PM

Yeah, the same fracture in a throwing shoulder takes about a month longer. That's why the Packers were quick to suggest Aaron Rodgers might not be back this season.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:28:08 PM

What do you think our odds are of getting a top-10 draft pick next year?

by SeattlePackerFan10/16/2017 6:28:17 PM

Maybe slightly better than making the playoffs.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:28:29 PM

Did Adams just get more affordable? He'll surely get less catches without Rodgers. Less catches = less free agent interest?

by SeattlePackerFan10/16/2017 6:28:40 PM

Great point. I was thinking this same thing yesterday on the ride back from Minneapolis. If there's a big loser out of yesterday not named Aaron Rodgers, it might be Davante Adams. He's a good player, and he'll still put up numbers, but you wouldn't think those numbers will be nearly the same without Rodgers throwing passes.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:29:48 PM

I got feeling with a week of reps and preparation Brett will be OK. What are you're thoughts

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by Bob10/16/2017 6:29:55 PM

I think how he looked yesterday is very little indication of whether he can win or not. It was about the worst possible environment to enter a game cold, on the road against a divisional rival that happens to have one of the NFL's best defenses. This week, facing a bad Saints offense at home, should be much more telling. If Hundley struggles this week, that's a big problem.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:30:56 PM

Looking at tape, how is Huntley's style different?

by Jane 10/16/2017 6:31:08 PM

He's similar in style, in that he's a mobile quarterback. He's just not Aaron Rodgers.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:31:23 PM

Ryan, tell us why this year will be different than 2013 (2-5-1 in games not started by Rodgers).

by 2013-Revisited10/16/2017 6:31:33 PM

The one tangible piece of hope you could hear inside the Packers locker room yesterday was that their backup quarterback position is much more solidified now than it was in 2013, when they rummaged through a couple different players at that position. Theirs hope that will help, but all of it depends on what Brett Hundley can provide. If Hundley can't move the ball and make plays, it doesn't matter that he's established himself as the guy.

by Ryan Wood10/16/2017 6:32:32 PM

Am I alone thinking Barr should have been a no-brainer ejection for that headbutt on Adams? Targeting a post-concussion player after a play in the head... that's a felony on the street but not even an ejection? NFL can't claim it's about player safety and then let an assault like that just get written off as a 15 yd penalty.

by footballer10/16/2017 6:32:53 PM

Adams would not be on the field if there were any lingering affects from his concussion, so that's irrelevant. As for the head butt, I didn't get a good look at the play to know what kind of punishment there should have been.